U.S. senators seek to block foreign adversaries from AI technology in new bill

The U.S. Commerce Department would have more authority to shield domestic artificial intelligence technology from the supply chains of foreign adversaries in a bill introduced Tuesday by two Republican senators who’ve been at the center of crypto legislation in this congressional session: Tim Scott and Bill Hagerty.

The new bill would give Commerce the ability to block “transactions involving technology designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned, controlled, or directed by foreign adversary countries.” But it’s being pushed by the two Republicans as this session of Congress is winding toward the summer break and midterm elections, leaving it little opportunity to advance unless it’s later latched onto a must-move bill.

“Americans should not have to worry that China or Russia can use the technology in our cars, phones, or networks against us,” said Scott, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, who worked with Hagerty to pass last year’s Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act.